A Bedworth mother slapped her two-year-old daughter because she would not stop crying and her partner had hit the baby on the head, a court heard.

A Bedworth mother slapped her two-year-old daughter because she would not stop crying and her partner had hit the baby on the head, a court heard.

The couple, who cannot be named to protect the girl?s identity, had previously denied a charge of cruelty by assaulting her.

But on the day they were due to stand trial at Warwick Crown Court, the 35-year-old man pleaded guilty on the basis that he had twice ?cuffed? the baby to the head.

His case was adjourned for a report. He was allowed bail.

The girl?s 26-year-old mother pleaded guilty on the basis that she had slapped her only once, which her barrister Neal Williams said she admitted caused a red mark on the baby?s bottom.

But Ian Ball, prosecuting, said he could not accept that because of extensive injuries received by the girl and the account given to the police by her seven-year-old sister who initially claimed her mother had slapped her sister across the backside several times.

Under cross-examination, the girl said that her mother had hit the two-year-old only once.

The girl?s mother said she had been in bed and in pain for a problem for which she had to go into hospital, and her young daughter was crying.

She went into the girls? bedroom and shouted at her to go to sleep, then slapped her once when she continued to cry.